Ex-Romney Aide is Working For Likely GOP Challenger to Trump

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, seen here autographing wooden eggs at Politics & Eggs in February, is a likely candidate for President in 2020.

Credit Lauren Chooljian / NHPR

The top strategist for Sen. Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign is working for a likely Republican challenger to President Donald Trump.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld told The Associated Press on Friday that Stuart Stevens is his general consultant as he explores a primary bid against Trump. Stevens joins former New Hampshire GOP chairwoman Jennifer Horn, who is working as an adviser to Weld's possible campaign.

Weld formed a presidential exploratory committee in February. He said Friday that he'd make a final decision on challenging Trump in late April or early May.

Weld was the Libertarian Party's 2016 nominee for vice president. He faces an uphill challenge in defeating Trump, who remains popular among Republicans. New Hampshire Republican leaders have criticized Weld's potential campaign.

The Sanders Institute, a think tank founded by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' wife and son, is shutting down, at least for now, amid criticism that the nonprofit has blurred the lines between family, fundraising and campaigning.

The Vermont-based institute has stopped accepting donations and plans to suspend all operations by the end of May "so there could not even be an appearance of impropriety," Jane Sanders told The Associated Press.

Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke formally announced Thursday that he'll seek the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, ending months of intense speculation over whether he'd try to translate his newfound political celebrity into a White House bid.